Irish crime figure shot dead in Spain

A major figure in gangland crime in Dublin has been gunned down on the Costa del Sol in Spain.

Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh - who was in his 40s and from Drimnagh in Dublin - died after he was shot multiple times in a pub near Marbella yesterday evening.

Spanish police are hunting for two men and are combing through a BMW car which was found burnt out nearby.

The victim was socialising in Harmon's, an Irish bar in the town of Elviria, at about 5.25pm local time yesterday evening, when he was singled out by the two gunmen.

Mr Kavanagh is reported to have been shot up to nine times in the head and upper body. He attemped to flee from his attackers but was chased down and killed.

The victim was a known associate of Costa del Sol crime boss Christy Kinahan and had convictions in Dublin for the sale of heroin.